Tool cabinet

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a tool cabinet that can be pushed by users to a working site for maintenance or an assembling operation, and the carrying surface of a frame of the tool cabinet has at least one installing hole engaged by a protective sleeve, so that a long bar-shape hand tool can be isolated by the protective sleeve and inserted into the installing hole to protect the frame from being collided directly by the hand tool and prevent damages of the external look of the frame.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tool cabinet, more particularly to a tool cabinet capable of protecting the exterior of the tool cabinet from being damaged.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are various different kinds of traditional tool cabinets, including those disclosed in the R.O.C. Patent Publication No. 435321 and the U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,742,854, 6,572,203 and 6,347,848. The tool cabinet carries various kinds of hand tools and has wheels installed at its bottom, so that a user can push the tool cabinet to a working site for maintenance or an assembling operation. A partition board is used to define a storage area on the carrying surface of a frame of a traditional tool cabinet, and the storage area has a plurality of installing holes, and these installing holes are provided for inserting bar-shape hand tools as to constitute an easy-to-use, and convenient-to-arrange tool cabinet.

Although the aforementioned traditional tool cabinets facilitate users to arrange and access the hand tools, some special hand tools are 70 cm to 80 cm long. Therefore, when these long bar-shape hand tools are inserted into the installing holes, the hand tools will go all the way to the bottom of the frame, which will cause damages to the exterior of the frame when the frame is moved or the hand tools are shaken severely.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to install a protective sleeve onto an installing hole of a frame as to protect the exterior of the frame and prevent the exterior of the frame from being damaged when the hand tools are inserted into the installing holes and the tool cabinet is moved.

The tool cabinet in accordance with the present invention comprises a frame, a carrying surface being disposed on the frame, at least one installing hole being disposed on the carrying surface, and a bar-shape protective sleeve being engaged into the installing hole, wherein the protective sleeve has an accommodating space being interconnected to the installing hole and provided for storing a hand tool, such that the protective sleeve is capable to accommodate the insertion of a hand tool and allow the hand tool to be isolated by the protective sleeve and inserted into the installing hole. Therefore, when a user pushes the tool cabinet, it reduces the shaking of the hand tools and prevents a direct collision of the rear end of a hand tool on the frame as to assure the protection of the exterior of the frame from being damaged by the collisions of the hand tools and effectively maintains the good look of the frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the protective sleeve being secured according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural view of a further preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To make it easier for our examiner to understand the objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, the detailed description accompanied with drawings of a preferred embodiment are provided as follows.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 for a tool cabinet in accordance with the present invention. The tool cabinet comprises a frame 10, and the frame 10 is made of four corner pillars 108 and at least one shelf 111 installed between the corner pillars 108. The shelf 111 includes an upper shelf 110 and a lower shelf 109, and the frame has at least one drawer 107 disposed therein for carrying objects, so that a user can store desired objects. The upper shelf 110 of the frame 10 has a carrying surface 101, and the lower shelf 109 has a movable wheel set 102. The carrying surface 101 has at least one installing hole 20 for accommodating a bar-shape hand tool 40. The installing hole 20 is usually built on both sides of the carrying surface 101, and a bar-shape protective sleeve 30 is engaged at the installing hole 20 and extended deep inside the frame 10. The protective sleeve 30 has an accommodating space 301 being interconnected to the installing hole 20, such that a user can insert a hand tool 40 into the accommodating space 301 of the protective sleeve 30, and the hand tool 40 isolates the protective sleeve to be inserted into the installing hole 20. The carrying surface 101 makes use of a partition board 50 to define a storage area 102, and the installing hole 20 is disposed above the storage area 102 as to facilitate a user to arrange the hand tools 40. The frame 10 further has a lid 104 pivotally coupled to a lateral side of the frame 10 to prevent dust attaching on the hand tools 40. A two-section support link rod 105 is provided for keeping the lid 104 open as to facilitate the access of the hand tools 40 and prevent the lid 104 from being closed unexpectedly that may give rise to an accident, and the two-section support link rod 105 is secured onto the partition board 50 by a fastener 106. Therefore, when a user pushes the tool cabinet to a working site, it can reduce the shaking of the hand tools 40 and prevent the rear ends of the hand tools 40 from colliding directly on the frame 10. The present invention definitely can protect the exterior of the frame 10 from being damaged by the collisions of the hand tools 40.

Please refer to FIG. 3. The protective sleeve 30 is engaged into the installing hole 20 and also screwed onto the frame 10 to assure that the protective sleeve 30 will not shake. The protective sleeve further comprises a groove 701, and the frame 10 comprises an L-shape transversal rod 103 such that the transversal rod 103 is latched into the groove 701 and secured by a bolt 70 and a nut 703 as to enhance the secure connection between the protective sleeve 30 and the frame 10.

Please refer to FIG. 4. The present invention further comprises a fastening sleeve 80, such that when the protective sleeve 30 is engaged into the installing hole 20, the fastening sleeve 80 is engaged to the bottom of the lower shelf 109 of the frame 10, and corresponds with the protective sleeve 30 to define the accommodating space 301. If the hand tool 40 is very long, the fastening sleeve 80 will receive the rear end of the hand tool 40 to prevent the frame 10 from being collided by the hand tool 40.

Please refer to FIG. 5. The protective sleeve 30 is engaged into the installing hole 20 and also screwed onto the frame 10. By the use of the fastening sleeve 80, the fastening sleeve 80 is engaged to the bottom of the lower shelf 109 of the frame 10 and corresponds with the protective sleeve 30 to define the interconnecting accommodating space 301. The fastening sleeve 80 also assures the stability of the protective sleeve 30 and avoids the frame 10 from being collided by an extra long hand tool 40. Same as the description above, the protective sleeve 30 also has a groove 701, and the frame 10 comprises an L-shape transversal rod 103 such that the transversal rod 103 is latched into the groove 701 and secured by screws to enhance the secure connection between the protective sleeve 30 and the frame 10.

In addition, when the tool cabinet of the invention is moved, it is inevitable for the hand tools 40 to collide with the protective sleeve and produce intolerable noises. Therefore the protective sleeve 30 is made of a plastic material for absorbing noises and thus greatly reducing the noise produced when the tool cabinet is moved.

In view of the description above, the present invention uses the protective sleeve 30 to protect the frame 10 from being collided by the hand tools and avoids the exterior of the frame 10 from being damaged by the hand tool 40 to maintain the good look of the tool cabinet for a long time. 

1. A tool cabinet, comprising: a frame, having a carrying surface disposed thereon, and said carrying surface having at least one installing hole for storing a long hand tool; and a protective sleeve, being disposed at said installing hole and having an accommodating space interconnected to said installing hole for receiving said long hand tool; thereby, if said protective sleeve and said accommodating space satisfy the conditions of moving said frame, said long hand tool will not shake to collide with said frame as to effectively keep the good look of said frame.
 2. The tool cabinet of claim 1, wherein said protective sleeve is screwed onto said frame.
 3. The tool cabinet of claim 2, wherein said protective sleeve has a groove and said frame has an L-shape transversal rod, such that said transversal rod is engaged into said groove.
 4. The tool cabinet of claim 1 further comprising a fastening sleeve, wherein said protective sleeve is engaged into said installing hole and said fastening sleeve is engaged into the bottom of said frame and corresponds with said protective sleeve to define said accommodating space.
 5. The tool cabinet of claim 4, wherein said protective sleeve is screwed onto said frame.
 6. The tool cabinet of claim 5, wherein said protective sleeve has a groove and said frame has an L-shape transversal rod, such that said transversal rod is engaged into said groove.
 7. The tool cabinet of claim 1, wherein said carrying surface defines a storage area by a partition board, and said installing hole is disposed on said storage area.
 8. The tool cabinet of claim 7, wherein said frame further comprises a lid being pivotally coupled to a lateral side of said frame and a two-section support link rod being pivotally coupled with said partition board for keeping said lid open.
 9. The tool cabinet of claim 8, wherein said two-section support link rod is secured by a fastener for keeping said lid open.
 10. The tool cabinet of claim 1, wherein said protective sleeve is made of a plastic material.
 11. The tool cabinet of claim 1, wherein said frame is comprised of four corner pillars and at least one shelf coupled to said corner pillars, and said frame at its bottom has a movable wheel set.
 12. The tool cabinet of claim 1, wherein said frame has at least one drawer disposed therein. 